Globetrotter ready to embrace Victory

SOME players' futures are all behind them when they are barely out of their teens. Others are slow starters who develop and blossom late, hitting their peak in their mid-20s and then going on to have serious careers.

Soccer is littered with prodigies whose talent made them stars as juniors but who, for one reason or another, faded as the clock ticked into their third decade, leaving them jaded and often not even in the game any longer after a rapid descent down the divisions.

Then there is an intermediate group: talented youngsters who got signed by big European clubs as kids but who - due to bad luck, injury, the wrong attitude, or homesickness - didn't make it there. Australia has produced many of these, and a number find themselves back here in an attempt to reboot their careers.

Some, like Alex Brosque (who moved to Feyenoord as a teenager) and Nicky Carle (who went to Troyes, in France) have done so and moved on again - in Brosque's case (via Brisbane and Sydney) to Japan and now the Middle East, in Carle's (via Newcastle and Sydney) to Turkey, England and the Middle East in the twilight of his career.

Others are still here, some at an age where they can hope to move back overseas. Dario Vidosic, the 25-year-old Adelaide midfielder who had four seasons in Germany before joining the Reds is probably the best example.

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But there is another group: those who have returned to rebuild their careers, have yet to really stand out but have been given the benefit of the doubt because their coach knows they have a serious talent - if they can get their mind and body in sync.

Spase Dilevski, the midfield utility signed by Ange Postecoglou shortly after he took over at Melbourne Victory, is perhaps the best illustration of this group.

The 27-year-old seems to have been around forever. And that's because he has. At 16 he was good enough to have been signed by Dutch giant PSV Eindhoven, making the move to Europe while most of his age group were hoping to be spotted by scouts for NSL youth teams.

When Frank Arnesen, then PSV's recruitment guru, moved to English Premier League club Tottenham he brought Dilevski to London with him a year later - a clear indication of the regard in which the Melbourne-born youngster was held.

Dilevski had played for Postecoglou in the national under-20 and under-17 teams, travelling to the 2003 under-20 World Cup while he was still 18. He was also in Australia's squad at the 2004 Athens Olympics as a 19-year-old.

It seemed a glittering career was assured. Except it didn't happen. The Athens campaign meant he had a disrupted pre-season at Spurs, and never really broke through.

He was back in Australia, at age 20, for the inaugural A-League season, which he played with Brisbane Roar, eventually moving to Europe again in 2007, to Romania.

While the technical standard of play in Romania is good, the governance of the game and the working conditions for players are not always what might be expected: after four seasons Dilevski was back here, having signed for Adelaide. An unhappy 12 months in which he never really cemented a first team spot ensued, and it was hardly surprising when he was looking for another club.

So it might be fair to suggest that the chance he is now getting at Melbourne Victory might be the last roll of the dice, although that's not the way the player himself sees it. The injury to Gui Finkler, which has put the Brazilian out for the season, has given the skilful midfielder the chance to stake his claim, and he says he now has the maturity and confidence to do so.

''It's unfortunate when a teammate gets injured, especially for a long time like that, but it gives me my opportunity to come in and show what I can do. I am feeling confident and good,'' Dilevski said on Thursday.

''I have come off the bench a few times, scored the goal [against West Sydney] and now it's time to cement a spot.''

Dilevski has often played as a full-back but he prefers to be used centrally. ''Different coaches see me as a different type of player. My best position, I think personally, is in the midfield,'' he said.

''Ange was using me earlier in the season and pre-season as a right-back. I can do a job there, and if the coach needs me there I will do a job there.

''I wouldn't say I am the perfect replacement for Finkler, we are different types of players. The boss saw that, and I am happy with it. We all know our structure and how the boss wants us to play.''

He looks back, despite the difficulties Australians have faced in Romania, with some fondness for his time at Universitatea Craiova.

''My time in Romania on the pitch was pretty good. I was happy with it. My time in Adelaide wasn't great, I got injured. I came here, same thing, got injured at the start, did the whole pre-season. Hopefully it's behind me and my best years are to come.

''I never look at it as the last roll of the dice. I am confident enough and man enough to know if I am doing well, and if I'm not when to finish and when not to finish. Given the opportunity, time and getting my fitness up, I wouldn't have a problem.''

Having played in the first two seasons of the A-League and now returned, Dilevski is in a better position than most to comment on the standard and how it has changed.

''I was here at the start and I can personally tell you it's improved unrealistically almost. It's unbelievable how quick and fit, and tactics wise and game play has improved so much.''

With the benefit of hindsight Dilevski believes he ''probably went too young'' when he left. His advice to ambitious youngsters now is to spend their development years here.

''I think 19 or 20 is a good age to go … if I could do it again I would probably do it like that, have a few good seasons in the A-League first. I think the kids are lucky like that today to have a league like this, so competitive, so good, so even. If they can show their talent and do well here there's every chance in the world that they'll succeed overseas in other leagues.''

Postecoglou acknowledges Dilevski's talent, which he earmarked a decade ago when he was coaching the national youth teams.

''He's a good player. Things didn't work out for him, like many others. I knew he had talent and that he was easily capable of playing in the A-League if fit. There's a great versatility about him that makes him a great asset in a league like this with limited squad sizes.''